Copy-pad moistener.



N0. 778,648. PATBNTED DEG. 2'7, 1904.

T; I. FISHER. COPY PAD MOISTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13 1904.

Patented December 27, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEOPHILUS I. FISHER, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

COPY-PAD MOISTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,648, dated December27, 1904.

Application filed May 13, 1904. Serial No. 207,821.

To (all whont it may cmwcrn:

Be it known that I, THnorHILUs I. FISHER, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, boroughof Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Copy-Pad Moisteners; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same.

My invention relates to copy-pad moisteners, and I have produced adevice of this character wherein I can moisten or dampen copy pads orcloths very uniformly and expeditiously.

Broadly stated, my invention consists in providing a suitable foraminousbasket or tray for holding the copying pads, blotters, or cloths to bemoistened, which basket rests or is supported in a receptacle containinga packing or lining of highly-absorbent material. The basket ispreferably provided with a weighted follower adapted to be seatedtherein and which follower has a solid top and foraminous bottom,between which a packing or filling of absorbent material is placed.

My device is simple in construction, easy to use, efiicient inoperation, and in practice greatly facilitates the copying of lettersand other documents and does the Work for which it is intended withgreat uniformity.

The construction of the device, as well as its functions and advantages,will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof, takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is aperspective view of the invention with the cover open, partly brokenaway at one corner. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly broken away, soas to show the perforated basket and the absorbent lining. Fig. 3 showsthe basket-follower in cross-section, and Fig. l shows the foraminousbasket.

The metal box or container is designated by A, and it is preferably madeof galvanized iron, though it may be constructed of any metal desired orother non-absorbent material. Its

bottom, sides, and top are solid, the latter, 5, being pivoted forconvenience and fitted closely thereto, so that I secure a practicallymoisture-tight receptacle.

The sides and bottom of the box A are lined or packed with ahighly-absorbent material B, preferably fine fibrous asbestos, as thismaterial has given superior results to any other I have tried. \Vithinthe box is the foraminous basket C, With its bottom and sides contactingwith the absorbent material therein. The basket is preferably made ofclose-mesh wire-cloth attached to the skeleton framework 0 and may beprovided with the flange 6, adapted to rest on the top of the absorbentlining. The wire-cloth may be made of any metal or other material whichwill not be acted upon by moisture, or it may be coated or plated withmaterial Which is not so acted upon.

The follower D has the solid top 7 and sides 8 and foraminous bottom 9,slightly bellied, as shown at 10, and is packed with absorbent material11, preferably the same as the lining B of the box A. In suchbellied'construction the tendency of the water is to gravitate towardthe lowest or bellied part of the bottom, and as aresult very slightpressure applied to this part will cause the water to ooze out much morereadily than though the water was equally distributed over a plainforaminated surface. The follower rests loosely in the basket, and whileit is generally made slightly larger than the pads to be moistened, soas to entirely cover them, it is made somewhat less in length than thebasket, so that there is sufficient room in the basket to permit of thefollower being stood on end therein out of the way of the pads when itis desired to remove the latter from or insert them in the basket. Inthe top of the follower D is an opening provided with a tightly-fittingcover 12, slidable in guides 14: 14: thereon, and through which openingwater may be introduced to saturate the absorbent material 11.

The follower is provided with a pin or stop 18, which limits themovement of the cover 12, and a pin or screw 19, by which said cover maybe fastened in place. When the follower is constructed as described, itsweight causes suflicient water to ooze out of the wet packing to moistenthe cloths thoroughly and uniformly, but not enough to soak or overwetthem. The uniformity with which the cloths are moistened enables thecopying to be performed without blurring or smearing.

In Fig. 1 the copying-cloths 15 are shown within the basket C andunderneath the follower I). It will be apparent that the pack of clothsis exposed on its sides and bottom to the moist absorbent packing in boxA and on its top to the packing or filling in follower D.

The interior of box A may be provided with the flanges 16 in substantialalinement with the basket-flange 6, both of which flanges are adapted tosupport the angle-shaped member 17, which rests loosely thereon andforms a gutter for the introduction of water to the absorbent filling B.A slight space is left between the outer edge of the horizontal flangeof the angle-shaped member and the walls of the box, so that water willflow freely therethrough to the absorbent material.

In the drawings I have shown the box or.

receptacle as rectangular in shape, though it is obvious that it mightbe made of any shape or form desired.

The manner of using my improved moistening apparatus will be apparentfrom the foregoing description; but it may be stated briefly as follows:The absorbent material in the box and follower having been saturatedwith water, the copying-cloths are placed within the basket and thefollower placed thereon. The cloths absorb moisture quickly anduniformly from the surrounding absorbent material and may be used almostimmediately or allowed to remain in the basket for any length of timedesired, as it is found they do not overwet or become discolored ormoldy. The greater the number of cloths in the basket the greater is thepressure or weight on the absorbent material beneath the basket, andconsequently the greater is the amount of water forced out therefrom tothe cloths. On account of the highly-absorbent character of the fibrousasbestos, it is not necessary to replenish the water very often; butwhen this is required it may be done readily by the means described.

It will be apparent that many changes and l modifications may be made inthe structure as described without departing from the principleunderlying my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make anyand all of such changes.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. In adevice of the class described, a receptacle, a foraminousmoistening-basket therein and absorbent material enveloping the sidesand bottom of the basket.

2. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a packing ofabsorbent material therein, a moistening-basket in contact with theabsorbent material and adapted to receive moisture therefrom, and afollower arranged to exert pressure on the contents of the basket.

3. In a device of the class described, a receptacle containing absorbentmaterial, a moistening basket or tray therein and means for exposing thecontents of the basket on all sides to the absorbent material.

4. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a packing ofabsorbent material on the sides and bottom thereof, a foraminous basketinteriorly of and exposed to the packing and means for producingpressure on the contents of the basket.

5. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a packing offibrous asbestos therein, and a foraminous basket exposed at its sidesand bottom to said asbestos.

6. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a packing ofabsorbent material therein, a foraminous basket contacting with theabsorbent material and a pressure device containing absorbent materialand adapted to supply moisture to the contents of-the basket.

7. In adevice of the class described, a receptacle, a lining of asbestostherein, a foraminous basket adapted to receive moisture therefrom and afollower containing asbestos, and adapted to rest within the basket.

8. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, an interior flangewithin and near the upper part thereof, a foraminous basket thereinprovided with a flange and a member resting on said flanges.

9. In a device of the class described, a follower comprising a casing, abellied foraminous bottom therefor, and a packing of absorbent materialconfined between said bottom and the casing.

10. In a device of the class described, a receptacle for containingabsorbent material, and an open-work basket therein, and amoisture-supplying device adapted to rest within the basket.

11. In a device of the class described, a f0- raminous basket or trayfor containing material to be moistened, and means for exposing saidbasket or tray on all sides and on the top and bottom thereof to theaction of moisturecontaining material.

12. In a device of the class described, a receptacle lined withabsorbent material on its IIO bottom and sides, a foraminous tray orbasket exposed on its sides and bottom to the action of said absorbentmaterial, and a follower containing absorbent material adapted to restwithin the basket whereby the contents of the basket are exposed on allsides to the action of the absorbent material.

13. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a basketconstructed of wire mesh,

10 means for suspending the basket within the receptacle, and absorbentmaterial within the receptacle and surrounding the sides of the basket.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two sub- 5 scribing witnesses.

THEOPHILUS I. FISHER. Witnesses:

J AS. H. GRIFFIN, R. B. CAVANAGH.

